The London Collections showcase was a time for big menswear talent. And one such 6ft 6 design star was Joseph Turvey. IDOL met Turvey while he prepared to display ‘his boys’ once more. For those hoping for an explanation, Turvey’s ‘boys’ have been his design signature since graduating from London College of Fashion last year – a key motif peering from a collection of bright rucksacks, tops and shorts in print and heat-reactant fabric. As a character, Joe Turvey seemed a modest Shropshire boy, chuckling deeply at the end of every sentence. By the look of him and his grey clothes, you could never have guessed that pictures of boys and fluoro pink design ideas cover his walls. Apart from, that is, by his shiny purple socks. Head to Comme des Garcons toes, here’s why Joseph Turvey is every bit the rising star.

What’s your next collection going to be like?

Next season there is still going to be colour, but it’s going to be much more controlled. There was a lot of colour in the last collection, and I want the colour palette to flow more tightly for the next season.

Do you have some new inspirations?

This time it’s looking a lot at David Attenborough and going on to look at Boy Scouts. I’m looking at those kind of shapes and what David Attenborough’s background is. I quite like looking into people in design, rather than things. He’s my next victim!

 

What’s your signature for next season?

The signature is: the boys are coming back. The boys will be there! You know, the faces - they will definitely be there next season. How they appear could be different. And also the knitwear, that is coming back…I love shorts! There’s a lot of shorts. There will be shorts!

                                                   

How do you see your ideas developing?

I think I’m always going to have print - it's a key signature of mine, I like to think. I love playing around with knitwear.

I love colour – there’s always going to be colour. I get really bored of black, so I think those will always be with me however they change…

 

What was your childhood like?

I have a twin. I did everything with my twin. My mum is the one who introduced me to all the people who I have looked at for any projects, any designs. So she introduced me to Margaret Rutherford, who was Miss Marple…She introduced me to Grey Gardens, David Attenborough...Literally, she was the one who drummed these people into my mind. At the time, I probably didn’t appreciate watching Miss Marple at 10, but I am appreciative now!

 

What is your personal style?

My kind of style is: throw on what I have and just put it on! I’m not a showy person. I don’t really try to make a statement with what I wear. I often find designers who are, aren’t very good ones - they put more effort into themselves. It’s always the one who’s a bit in the corner, looking a bit ten seasons ago...

What are you wearing?

This [t-shirt] is what my sister bought me for Christmas. A random printed t-shirt, a hoodie, some trousers... But my one thing is colourful socks! They are the only thing I enjoy buying- colourful socks! Very nice! And my favourite are purple sparkly Comme (des Garcons) socks. Absolutely beautiful - they are my favourite pair.

 

What’s it like being a new designer?

It can be great, and it can be really quite scary - especially for me. I didn’t expect to have so many people be interested in what I did. It’s quite a lot of pressure for me to pull something out again in such a quick time and do well with it. And I didn’t realize how many people are actually watching...so there are people wanting to see what you are going to do next and that can be quite scary.

 

 

Interview: Marina Kolobova